Samuel 1

Thanks for the LONG wait guys. I am so sorry. I have been so busy lately I've just been reading, working, sleeping, and thinking (when I have time). This first chapter of Samuel is focused around Samuel's birth and his childhood.

In the beginning (1:1-2) we are given the liniage of Samuel's father, Elkanah. It also tells us the setting, "Ramah in the region of Zuph in the hilkl country of Ephraim." To give you a better picture Look at any political map and find Jordan. It is south of Syria and Lebanon right above Saudi Arabia. In Jordan there is a river called the Jordan River, about 10 miles north of the Dead Sea there is a city to the left of the Jordan river called Gilgal about 10 miles west of it. About 20 miles west of Gilgal is the city of Ramah, or at least that where it was during this time period.. Now Ramah lies about 6 miles east of the Dead Sea.

This section also gives this very important detail. "Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Penninah had children, but Hannah did not." Hannah was barren. She was not able to have children at all. Can you already feel the story building? Do you know what's about to happen?

The next part sets up the drama. (1:2-7) Every year Elkanah would take his family to the a place called Shiloh to worship and sacrifce to the Lord in the tabernacle there. Now, Shiloh was a good 20 mile walk north of Ramah at the time. Today that would take about 20 minutes if you drove 60 miles per hour. A 20 mile hike then in the heat of day and the cold of night in Jordan would take a good 7 hours without any breaks and a whole family.

There is a fact that seems meaningless in verse 3, "The priests of the Lord at that time were the two sons of Eli- Hophni and Phinehas." This is VERY important. Mind you, the entire Word is important. ;D

At this sacrificial worship, Elkanah would take portions of the meat and give them to Peninnah and her children. He would only give Hannah a choice piece since the Lord had given her no children. Think about that. You are married. You and you spouse want children, but God is giving you none. You are polygamists. You husband's other wife is poppin' 'em out like crazy. Though your husband shopuld feel sympathy for you, he just gives you less because God has "given you less to work with" Would that not tear you down.

To make matters worse every year that the family traveled to Shiloh Peninnah (the wife that had children) would taunt Hannah (the barren one) about her not having children. And every year Hannah could never dop anything but cry. Why had the Lord not blessed her with chcildren?

Well, her husband, although the head of the household, could not stop Peninnah from taunting Hannah, but he could, however, try to cheer her up. (1:8) First he asks Hannah why she is crying., Then he asks why she is not eating. I'm sorry to interject here, but if I'm crying, the last thing I want to do is eat. So I know exactly where she is coming from with that one. He then asks her why she is "down-hearted: just because she has no children? Are you kidding me? The first question he asked was "why are you crying" even though he already knew the answer... I would have asked "why are you stupid?" but Hannah was way more humble than I could ever be. I mean the woman couldn't have children but her husband's other wife could...and rubbed it in her face. Wouldn't you cry? Plus he says the word "just" in there. Did you catch it? He tries to windle her problems down to help her.

He goes on to say that She has him, "isn't that better than having even ten sons?" No, but Hannah just remains quiet.

There, the drama is set. Now, lights, camera.....ACTION!

Hannah then rises from the table to visit the Lord's temple, where Eli is standing guard of the door. Eli is the priest. Once there, Hannah prayed in anguish that the Lord might give her a son. She even promised Him that if He gave her a son that she would, in turn, give him back to God for "all the days of his life" and his hair will never be cut.

The entire time she's praying Eli is watching her thinking, "Oh God in Heaven, this women is crazy! She's talking to herself with no voice. Only her lips are moving, she has to be drunk." So he says the Hannah, "How long are you going to stay here while you are drunk." He just won't have it in the temple. He even tells her to "put away [her] wine" Come on! Did she even carry the wine bottle with her, could he not talk to her and know that she was not drunk?

She tells him that she has not been drinking and that she was just pouring out her anguish to the Lord, that He might answer her prayer. Eli blessed her in her prayers and sent her on her way, but instead of leaving downcast, she left cheerfully. She gave all her troubles to God and that made her happy.

So the next morning everyone wakes up, worships God in the temple and they take the long trip back to Ramah. When they get there Elkanah (Hannah's husband) makes love to her because they are MARRIED and that's a gift that MARRIED people can enjoy together, only aftger they are MARRIED!!! (I hope you get my point :D ) And God remembers her and BAM, He gives her what she so desperately wanted. A son.

She (Hannah) also keeps her promise. She tells her husband the next time he is leaving for the temple that she isn't going. She tells him about what she promised God and he says, okay. WHAT!! You would think he would freak out, but he says if that what you think is right. So she weans him and take him to the temple to be with Eli the priest. They sacrifice a bull and then she told Eli who she was and what she prayed about and then told him that her son would live in the temple, and ofr his whole life, he would serve the Lord. Eli worshipped the Lord. He was so astounded by this work of God that all he could do or think of doing was worship the Lord.

The first chapter jnust sets up Samuel's life. Hope this helps you dive into God's word a bit. It's pretty wordy, but that's how I do.

Memory verse this week is:

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Prayer requests? Email them to me or comment below.

livin4christ0129@yahoo.com

God bless!

Lanie